BBC Sounds

The BBC has announced that it will cease operating the iPlayer radio app this month. Listeners have already started receiving notifications on the platform that it will be shuttering. Continue Reading →

The BBC has continued to make updates and improvements to its Alexa skill. The biggest new development is the ability to seamlessly continue listening to a program between an Alexa-enabled device and the BBC Sounds app or website. Continue Reading →

The BBC will roll out a new public service algorithm for its mobile app. Director of Radio and Education James Purnell shared the broadcaster’s next plans for its new BBC Sounds mobile app. Continue Reading →

The BBC’s annual plan for 2019-2020 demonstrates a continued focus on local culture and creativity while embracing the ongoing digital shifts in the entertainment world. The UK broadcaster cited the popularity of audio and video streaming platforms, including Apple’s very recent announcements about television, and laid out how it plans to stay relevant in the competitive market for eyes and ears. Continue Reading →

We reported yesterday that the BBC blocked Google Podcasts’ access to BBC podcasts, so they cannot be represented in the Google Podcasts app. That block extends to playing BBC podcasts in Google Search results, via the native audio that Google has built there. The BBC declined to comment in response to our inquiry yesterday, but this morning an explanatory blog post appeared that lays out the BBC’s rationale. Continue Reading →

BBC Sounds is the latest effort by the BBC to reach a broader and younger audience in the digital market. However, the mobile app has been raising eyebrows and questions among users since its launch. A recent dust-up around one of its podcasts being announced as exclusive to BBC Sounds has put the broadcaster on the defensive. Continue Reading →

The BBC has been revitalizing its approach to podcasts in the modern listening landscape, and a focal point of its strategy is the new BBC Sounds app introduced earlier this summer. Now, the broadcaster has begun an open commissioning process seeking out new podcasts for the app. Continue Reading →